Drum tumbler



C. L. HALL DRUM TUMBLER Sept. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1952 INVENTOR. CHESTER L HALL BY fi we. z

ATTORNEY c. L. HALL 2,652,140

DRUM TUMBLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 15, 1953 Filed June '7, 1952 A v1- y-L iliL 1 W INVENTOR. CHESTER L. HALL BY 9 a aw ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 1953 DRUM TUMBLER Chester L. Hall, Chester, Pa., assignor to Company, Philadelphia,

New Jersey Sun Oil Pa., a corporation of Application June 7, 1952, Serial N 0. 292,317

9 Claims. 1'

This invention relates to apparatus for tilting drums or barrels during inspection and marking operations and is designed to provide an improved, simplified and easily portable apparatus for ready use at selected stations along a conveyor system.

Heretofore devices used in tumbling drums or barrels for any purpose have formed a fixed and complicated part of the general conveyor system. The mechanism usually included a cradle into which the receptacle to be emptied or otherwise handled must be fitted. The cradle lifting mechanism formed an integral part of the conveyor system and was coordinated to function therewith requiring proper clearance allowances and mechanical coordination for allv movements, This operation was, therefore, confined to one part of the conveyor system and. required a major alteration if it was necessary to. permanently change the locus of this action A temporary change was either not considered or the required movement was accomplished manually. It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic means for inverting, receptacles moved on conveyor systems which is readily portable and operable at any selected point along the path of travel.

This and other objects will be more fully disclosed in the following detailed discussion in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view' of the device showing operational movement.

Figure 2 is a plan view along lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along lines 3-4.

Figure l is an elevational view of an. operating element taken from a partial end view of Figure 1 along lines 4-4.

Referring to the figures of the drawing the rollers of a conventional receptacle conveyor system with which the disclosed device is designed to operate are indicated on Figures 1 and 2 by the numeral It. Channels l2 support the rollers, it in elevated position serving as the movable surface to support and transmit receptacles such as is through the various operations necessary to cleaning, inspection, marking and filling. A receptacle H3 is shown here as a drum. of the type used in the chemical and petroleum. industries. Any other form of receptacle such as a barrel, milk can or the like, too heavy or bulky for easy manual handling, can be substituted. with little or no change in the apparatus presently to be discussed.

The receptacle inverting or device for either temporary or permanent use at selected points along the conveyor system comprises a portable frame generally indicated by the numeral 2d and a gripping and lifting device inclusively numbered 30. The portable frame 20 is of rigid construction and includes a pair of upright members 22 and 24 mounted substantially vertically on a base member 26.

Within the rigid frame 2%) the gripping and lifting device 35 is mounted with the laterally and vertically movable members or arms 32 and 34 spaced to permit the conveyor surface of rollers 50 and the mounting channels l2 to pass therebetween; A transverse vertically movable support 36 slidably engages each of the non-movable members 22 and 24 at its respective ends as shown in Figure 3 and pivotally supports the laterally and vertically movable arms 32 and 34 at the pivots 33 and 49, respectively.

At the upper ends of the movable arms 32 and 34, bearings 42 and 44 are positioned at an elevation above the conveyors movable surface to be adjacent a convenient gripping. area of the receptacle i 4. Gripping shoes 46' and 48 are both pivotally and rotatably mounted in cooperation with the bearings 42 and 44 for flexibility in engaging the receptacle surface and for rotating or tumbling the drum;

The shoe 45, cooperating with the member or arm 32, is pivotally connected at 50, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to a support 52 which is extended at top and bottom to prevent the shoe 46 from becoming misaligned in operation. In turn the support 52 is fastened to a shaft 54 and responds to all rotary movements thereof.

On the end of the shaft 54 opposite the shoe support 52 a sheave or pulley 56 is fastened. The extended shaft 54, the pulley 56 and the resilient member or spring 58 form the actuated combination of elements which tumble the drum and return it in original position to the conveyor movable surface. The spring 58 is arranged on the shaft 54 and anchored at its endsto be wound into tension when the drum or receptacle i4 is initially inverted. Consideration of Figure 4' together with Figure 1 shows the additional elements required for this operation. A flexible non-stretching means such as a leather or composition belt 60 is riveted to an intermediate adjuster 62 andpartially wrapped"around-the-sheave 56 at the end of which it is fastened as shown. The adjuster 62 is slotted as at 64 and held by a pin clamp 68 in engagement with an anchor piece 68 at proper tension. Both the adjuster 62 and the anchor piece 68' are. roughened at the engaging area to increase the friction between them. The anchor piece 68 is secured to the upright 22 of the rigid frame 20.

Although the rotating or tumbling structure described above could, if necessary, be duplicated to revolve shoe 48 as well as shoe 46, it is not necessary and has been omitted, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This part of the gripping and lifting mechanism is simply the shoe 48, pivoted at m to the support 12 and shaft 14 for flexibility and rotation. It will be noted, as in Figure 1, that both shoes 46 and 48 are made larger in the lower halves in order to gravitationally assist the respective supports 52 and 12 in maintaining them in operating position when disengaged.

Turning now to the lower section of the movable arm 32 and 34, for which reference is made to Figure 1, toggle links 80 and 82 couple them to a fluid operated piston 84. The piston arm 86 is connected to both toggle links at; the pivot 88. The toggle link 88 extends to pivotal engagement with the member 32 at pivot 95 while the same form of structure fastens toggle link 82 and member 34 at pivot point 92. manual operation, usually by the foot of the operator, is connected to a source of pressured fluid not shown which is introduced to conduit H22 through a valve 104.

The preliminary steps necessary in settin up the above described device at a selected station along the conveyor system are both few and simple. The frame complete as described is slipped beneath the conveyor by tilting and then raised to the vertical position with the conveyor track running between the movable arms 32 and 34 as shown in Figure 1. A stand or platform on which the operator works is placed beside the frame and the lever I50 with the valve I54 fastened to it. A hose line from the pressure fluid source required to operate the piston is coupled to the valve and the drum tumbler is ready to operate.

A representative drum I4 is moved between the shoes 46 and 48 when they are in the open position shown by the dot and dash lines in Figure 1. This position is assumed when the piston arm 86 is retracted into the cylinder of the piston 84 drawing the movable arms 32 and 34 inwardly through the movement of the toggle links 80 and 82. The movement of the lower part of the arms being inward, this movement is reversed above the pivotal connections 38 and 40 made with the transverse support 36. The movement of the piston arm 86 being downward, the arms 32 and 34 also move downward as well as the support 35 until stopped by the shoulders on the fixed uprights 22 and 24 obstructing further movement of the support member.

To engage the drum l4 now assumed to be standing between the shoes 46 and 48 on the conveyor, the operator manipulates the lever I08 causing fluid operation of the piston 84. The upward movement of the piston arm 86 moves the arms 32 and 34 laterally about the pivots 38 and 46 causing the shoes 46 and 48 to grip the drum E4 on opposite sides. With the lateral movement stopped by the shoes comin into contact with the drum, any further upward movement of the piston arm 86 lifts the support 36 slidably positioned by the rigid uprights 22 and 24 which lifts the drum clear of the conveyor surface.

The revolving elements as represented by the pulley 56, belt 60 and described anchoring elements now becomes effective by the simple retention of the belt and a rotary motion is im- A lever N20 for parted to the drum through the shaft 54 and shoe 46. The shoe 48 is freely supported and rotates also. At the end of the upward movement the drum has been rotated through 180 degrees bringing the bottom up and tensioning the endanchored spring 58. Full inspection and kindred operation are possible, as well as emptying or other conditioning for which tumbling is required.

With the release of the fluid pressure from the piston, or reverse action if so operated, the initial movement on the descent of the piston arm 86 is to cause the drum to re-rotate back to the original position. Release of tension on the belt 60 and operation. of the spring 58 releasing its tension rotates the drum in reverse from the original rotary motion. The drum is returned to the conveyor surface. The lateral movement of the arm 22 does not adversely affect the tumbling apparatus as the flexible belt 60 remains attached to the sheave 55 and intermediate adjuster 62 and is designed to realign itself for repeated action.

As the drum engages the conveyor surface, the support has reached the lower limit of permitted movement. The drum resists further downward movement and the support pivots 38 and 49 hold the laterally movable arms 32 and 34 against further lowering. The toggles 80 and 82 are still being lowered, however, at the pivot connection 88 but are held at the elevation of pivots 93 and 92. The resultant movement is to retract the lower ends of the arms 32 and 34 thereby releasing the drum M for movement along the conveyor. Successive selection and inversion of drums will follow the same procedure.

I claim:

1. A portable receptacle inverting apparatus for use in combination with a conveyor system comprising a rigid frame with vertical members spaced to pass the conveyor system therebetween; a receptacle gripping and lifting means including a pair of movable arms positioning pivotally supported rotatable shoes on the upper ends to engage the receptacle, a transverse positioning member slidably engaging the vertical members of the rigid frame pivotally supporting the movable arms; reciprocable lifting means toggle connected to the movable arms beneath the positioning member; and a receptacle rotating connection coupling one of said pivotally supported rotatable shoes to the rigid frame whereby a pivotal motion is transmitted to the receptacle on the vertical movement of the receptacle lifting means.

2. A receptacle inverting apparatus comprising a portable frame of two spaced apart uprights, a transverse member slidably engaging said uprights, a fluid operated piston positioned beneath said transverse member and between the spaced apart uprights, a pair of laterally and vertically movable gripping arms positioned between the uprights and pivotally connected to the transverse member, toggle links coupling the lower ends of the gripping arms to said piston, pivotally supported shoes mounted on the upper ends of said arms shaped to grip the receptacle between them, one of said shoes rotatably connected to an upright of the frame to rotate the receptacle when lifted by the piston operation and a fluid source operably connected to said piston.

3. A receptacle inverting apparatus comprising a portable frame having a base and a pair of spaced apart uprightsmounted thereon; a transverse member slidably engaging said'uprights; a

pair of vertically extending laterally and vertically movable members within the frame pivotally connected to the transverse member for opposed contact with the receptacles; engaging shoes pivotally connected to rotatable shafts positioned in the engaging ends of the laterally movable members; a rotating connector linking one of said rotatable shoe shafts to an upright of said frame; a resilient means to return the rotatable shoe to the normal position on release of the rotating connector; and lifting means incorporated within the frame operably connected to lift and laterally actuate said movable mem bers.

4. A receptacle inverting apparatus for use in combination with a conveyor system comprising a portable frame including a base member, a pair of vertical members spaced to pass said conveyor system therebetween and a transverse member positioned to slidably engage the vertical members beneath the conveyor system moving surface; and a receptacle gripping and inverting means cooperating with said portable frame including a pair of laterally and vertically movable arms pivotally connected to the transverse member with engaging shoes on the upper ends to grip selected receptacles passing therebetween on the conveyor system, means to rotate one of said shoes when said arms are moved vertically, a fluid operated piston supported by the base member of said frame and operably connected to the movable arms whereby the vertical movement of the piston lifts and moves the arms laterally relative to the receptacle which is rotated by the means cooperating with one of the shoes during the vertical movement.

5. A portable receptacle-tumbling apparatus for use in combination with a conveyor, comprising a frame movable into operative relation with the conveyor, a turnable laterally extending shaft, a shoe pivotally mounted on and turnable with the shaft, a pulley carriedby the shaft, a belt secured to the pulley and connected with the frame, a lever carried by the frame and carrying said shaft, mechanism adapted to first swing said lever toward the conveyor and thus swing said shaft longitudinally to contact the shoe with the receptacle and then raise said lever to thereby lift the pulley, thereby unwinding the belt and turning the pulley, its shaft and the shoe to tumble said receptacle in one direction.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 comprising also a spring connecting said pulley and lever that is moved into tension by the turning of said pulley and which is adapted, upon release of said mechanism, to allow a reverse movement of said lever to, in its downward movement, rewind the belt on the pulley and thus turn said pulley, shaft and shoe, and tumble said receptacle, in the opposite direction to that above specified.

7. A portable receptacle-tumbling apparatus for use in combination with a conveyor, comprising a frame movable into operative relation with the conveyor, a transverse member slidable vertically on the frame, upright levers pivotally connected to said transverse member and extending on opposite sides of the conveyor, shafts carried by said levers, shoes pivotally connected to, and turnable with, the shafts, manually controlled mechanism adapted to swing said levers on their pivots and, after contact of the shoes with said receptacle, move said transverse mem= her and levers vertically, and shaft-turning means, operable in the upward movement of one of said levers, to thereby turn said shoes through an are required to tumble said receptacle in one direction, a spring, movable into tension during said turning of the shaft and adapted, when said levers are freed to move in vertical and swinging directions opposite to those spectfied, to swing said shaft and shoes in the opposite direction.

8. A portable receptacle-tumbling apparatus for use in combination with a conveyor, comprising a supporting frame, a transverse member carried by the frame and extending under the conveyor when the apparatus is in operative relation with the conveyor and vertically slidable on the frame, upright levers pivotally mounted on the frame and extending above and on opposite sides of the conveyor, laterally extending turnable shafts carried by said levers, gripping shoes pivotally mounted on the inner ends of said shafts, a pulley secured to the outer end of one of said shafts, a belt secured to and wound about said pulley and a connection from the belt to the frame, a spring opposite ends of which are connected to the pulley and the lever in which said last named shaft is turnable, and manually controlled mechanism connected to said levers and operable to successively swing said levers on their pivots to effect contact of the shoes with the article to be tumbled, and then raise said levers to thereby lift the pulley, the belt secured thereto then unwinding to turn the pulley, the shaft secured thereto and the shoe through the are required to tumble the article and also imposing tension on the spring; said spring, in the downward movement of the lever carrying said pulley shaft, turning said shaft and the shoe carried thereby in the reverse arcuate direction and then in the swinging movement of said levers on such transverse member retracting the shoes.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 in which said manually controlled mechanism comprises a fluid operated piston and links, connecting said piston and the lower ends of the swingable and vertically movable levers, adapted to first swing said levers to effect contact of the shoe with the receptacle and then raise the levers.

CHESTER L. HALL.

N 0 references cited. 

